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UPDATE: Need Help Building a PC for video editing. - $2000 availa

H.T Baldwin

Posted 07 February 2006 - 09:26 AM

H.T Baldwin

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UPDATE: Based on your responses, I compiled the highlights into a Word file, posted elsewhere, and sent it off to a family friend who builds computers. For a condensed review, here is the link:http://videoguys.for...ic.php?t=111310After studying my book of compiled thought, he responded. The both of his emails are below:Yesterday....Sorry to be taking so long on your quote. I'm still working on bringing the price down. I keep hovering around $2,000.00 for Intel 3.0 gHz dual core processor with 3 x 300g hard drives in a raid configuration and all the other specs. I can go cheaper with AMD but they all seemed to recommend Intel....TodayIt includes a Phillips 19" monitor with DVI-D input, component input and speakers. Based on a Pentium D dual core 3.0 gig processor and 2GB of Corsair Twin2X248-5400C4 (1GB X 2) matched pair RAM. An ASUS or ABIT PCI-E motherboard (I haven't decided yet, they're both kick [bleep] overclockers) based on the INTEL 955X Chipset with full surround sound SATA ATA300, LAN, 1394, USB2.0...etc all onboard. ANTEC case with 450 W power supply. A PIONEER burner. Logitech 300X cordless keyboard and mouse. Two (2) Maxtor 300 GB 7200RPM hard drives. ATI X800GT video card.

I figure he kept the price at around $2000 like I asked. Let me know what you think of the specs.

Thanks for all the help leading up to this point.

Regards,H.T

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p-zero

Posted 07 February 2006 - 10:07 AM

p-zero

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Heres my 0.02 cents, I dont know much about video editing and stuff like that but I do know about gaming. Which like video editing requires A LOT of memory and video computing power. For a motherboard I recommend you get this http://www.tigerdire...0&sku=A458-1114 . This thing is SWEET! It supports 2 video cards. Up to 4GB of ram. As for the maxtor hardrives I heard nothing but bad things about em. Go with seagate, preferably 10000 rpm if not higher and at least 16mb cache. I picked up a seagate 400GB HD, 7200 rpm, 16mb cache for $212 out the door from best buy. And what a difference changing the HD alone made. As for a monitor I'd say go with a Dell p992 or m992 (forgot the actual model #), its a CRT but it has more DPI than most monitors and its fairly reasonable in price. But Id say DEFINITLY get that motherboard its the best one out right now. -Pete.

H.T Baldwin

Posted 07 February 2006 - 12:07 PM

H.T Baldwin

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Thanks for the response Pete. As you say you are not a video editor, so let me direct this responseto guys like WarriorScott and or jrm20: what about the specs Jim (the computer builder) has in mind? He read through all of your posts and I assume is trying to budget everything out accordinglyand put together a system that heeds all of your suggestions/knowledge. How has he done?

No need for a complete item by item counter with Pete's post, but take his ideas in mind with your responses.In my link, warriorscott is 'first poster' and jrm20 'second poster.'

I am going to forward this topic link to Jim, so he can get involved. Looking forward to more posts.

warriorscot

Posted 07 February 2006 - 05:47 PM

warriorscot

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Well Intel certainly have an advantage with video editing but on the X2s from AMD the gap isnt all that much and the X2s as a cpu is much better and cheaper you could go X2 and still be very happy. And with AMD you can get an nf4 mobo and nf4 chipset is probably the best chipset thats been released for a long time. I would go ABIT or possibly DFI on the mobo, ASUS im off as a company lately after a spate of bad products coming through our doors here. DFI ultimate overclocking boards.

The Colonel

Posted 08 February 2006 - 07:25 AM

The Colonel

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Yeah, the X2 breaks the long known Intel supremacy. Also, you do not need SLI. If i got a card, now it would be an X1900XTX. I would recommend at leas 2GB of RAM and a ton of HDD space though. Also DFI I think would be ethe best mobo choice.

warriorscot

Posted 08 February 2006 - 09:47 AM

warriorscot

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Well the entire athlon range was always better than the p4 in 90% of cases. Video editing doesnt require a hugely powerful 3d gfx card, if you were doing CGI video it would but most video editors wont do that kind of stuff themseleves, at least not small scale editors.

H.T Baldwin

Posted 08 February 2006 - 11:22 AM

H.T Baldwin

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Jim replied:Lots of good info and I agree with what they are saying. I'm partial to ABIT mobos and AMD processors.

One question I didn't see answered and I still have is: do you really need to have a RAID configuration? You can save a lot of money on hard drive space without it and I don't think it's necessary for your editing projects?

I'll send you an AMD/ABIT quote without RAID. That should really bring the cost down. I saw a recommendation for the ABIT Fatal1ty AA8XE Intel Socket 775 ATX Motherboard. I think they have a similar MB for the AMD X2 processor based on the NF4 chipset...lots of cooling capacity for overclocking and gaming.

He mentions 'gaming' in his reply. I need to make sure that the pieces and parts are aimed at video editing. I will not be gaming, only using the CPU for browsing and video work.I suppose there is a bit of overlap between the two, but I am looking for the best CPU for video editing for under $2000.

In regards to the Raid configuration, based on two poster's responses , I will leave purchasing that off for the time being:One Poster:You can get round the Raid array by not using one, its really laziness as performance is only marginally improved and the risks are much greater, two drives run separately and safely fine. I never really see the point in externals really, most new systems have ample internal space and most people have the external drive sitting on their desk all the time.Another Poster:I would just get all internal harddrives without any raid. You know you can make copies yourself from one harddrive to the next and is easy. You can manually copy and paste the movie or file to another harddrive for a backup or just drag it over to the other harddrive. Just get big harddrives like you picked out and you will be fine.

warriorscot

Posted 08 February 2006 - 11:48 AM

warriorscot

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If you were going to use RAID i would only consider RAID 1(mirrored) it gives speed an security at the cost of an HD worth of space. Otherwise wouldnt bother, i was poster one therem it is lazyness alot of the time for lots or the whole kool factor of hey look ive got RAID.

Video editing and gaming use alot of the same specs, you really arent going to play anygames at all. Beastin system like that i would be playing some games every know and again. But im a gameaholic nothing beats blowing the brains from something to releive stress. And gaming and video editing pcs yes its aimed for video but it will also be an excellent gamer just because the parts are non task specific(you dont get a Vid editing specific CPU or RAM or mobo and gamers are the biggest users for high end hardware like that), and alot of people use games to capture video these days as well.

Posted 08 February 2006 - 12:44 PM

warriorscot

Posted 08 February 2006 - 12:48 PM

warriorscot

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Yeah, intels more suited to the pure video editor but i personally dont feel the slight difference is worth the big price jump, and thats assuming your using software thats good and designed to make use of the slightly better threading in a P4, some of the cheaper vid editing software doesnt use hyperthreading so its not a factor.

H.T Baldwin

Posted 08 February 2006 - 03:52 PM

H.T Baldwin

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Jim just sent me the specs - To the guys who have been helping me, what say you to this computer system? I've learned a lot thus far, but man, it still reads like a foreign language to me.... That being said, I think he studied up well and put together a winner, and under budget!!(I will go for the $1850 system - that additional $200 - $300 for those upgraded video cards, well, I deem unnecessary for my needs).

Let me know if anything is way off or needs a slight modification. Here we go:

3. CORSAIR TWINX2048-3200 2GB KIT (1GB x 2) MATCHED PAIR 400MHZ 3-3-3-8 184-PIN DDR DIMM W/HEAT SPREADER 1. TwinX2048-3200 consists of a matched pair of CMX1024-3200 memory modules. This memory kit was developed specifically for graphics applications that require large memory arrays. It offers an unprecedented combination of high speed and high density. TWINX memory kits are designed to provide the ultimate in performance and stability in dual channel boards. These parts have been verified to operate at DDR400 (200 MHz at 3-4-4-8) in a dual-channel motherboard.

warriorscot

Posted 08 February 2006 - 04:48 PM

warriorscot

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The extra money in your budget, you might want to upgrade the CPU to the 4400+ if you can, its got a bigger cache and is obviously faster on the cores. The monitor is good ive got the model without the DVI.

But it looks good you dont really need the other gfx cards as they are alot more(you know ATI make the X800GT in all in wonder and all in wonder would make video transfer and recording easier).